Operating mechanism for elevator doors



May 25 1926.

Filed Jun e 16, 1923 T E GRIFFITH ET AL OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATOR DOORS Fig.1.

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lt -atented May 2.35, 192..

EJNETEQ STATES 1,585,666 PATENT oreice.

THOMAS E. GRIFFITH AND LEE L. DODDS, O13 CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE W. S. TYLER COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATOR DOORS.

Application filed June 16, 1923. Serial No. 645,831.

The present invention, relating, as indicated, to operating mechanism for elevator doors, is more particularly directed to a novel mechanism for operating the doors of an elevator enclosure, which mechanism is provided with means for preventing the unauthorized opening of the doors where the latter by carelessness or accident have been left in a partially open position. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an elevator enclosure and doors provided with the present operating mechanism therefor;

Fig. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale of the locking mechanism for preventing the opening of the doors under conditions to be described;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the mechanism in .a different position, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on line 44, Fig. 2.

In Fig.1 there is shown an elevator enclosure 1, the opening 2'of which is normally closed by means of sliding doors 3 and at. These doors are mounted to move laterally into the space 5 and are so moved by means of operating means consisting of a link or lever member 6 pivotally attached at one end to a bracket 7 on the frame of the enclosure, and of a second link or lever 8 having one end pivotally connected to the outer end of lever 6. The other end of lever 8 is pivotally secured to one of the doors, which in the present illustration are of the two speed type that are interconnected to move in timed relation with each other. To provide a handle member S) the outer end of lever 8 may be bent downwardly as shown. In operation the handle is pulled in a direction to raise the lever 8 which, through its connection with lever 6, will throw lever 6 upwardly, thus shortening the distance between the points 10 and 11, at which the levers 6 and 8 are connected to the enclosure frame and to the doors, respectively. It will be obvious that such action will move the doors 3 and 1 to the left. The doors are closed by reversing the movement of levers 6 and 8. A door closing device 12 of usual construction may be used for this purpose, said device operating automatically upon the release of handle 9 to restore the operating levers to closed position. hus far the above description relates to an ordinary construction of elevator doors and operating mechanism therefor.

In the operation of elevators, the operator occasionally only partly closes the doors, or the door closer for some reason fails to completely close them and they stand in a partially open position. It is essential that means he provided to prevent a further opening of the doors by someone in the corridor when the doors are standing in such partially open position, and it is desirable that means beprovided which will prevent the reopening of the doors until they have been brought to a completely closed position. As soon as the doors are close-d, they cannot be opened from the corridor side, so that if means are provided which make it necessary to close the doors completely before they may be reopened after being partly closed, such means are effective to prevent a complete opening of the door from the corridor and to prevent accidents. The novel means provided by this invention for the above purpose consists of the following mechanism. The bracket member 7 to which lever 6 is pivoted, is formed with a side portion 13 which extends along the side of said lever. The edge surface 14 of such side is provided with a cam portion 15 eccentrically arranged with respect to the pivotal point 10 of the bracket and lever 6. On the surface 14: is also formed a projecting lug 20 for a purpose to be presently set forth. Pivotally mounted on a pin 16 on the lever 6 is a combined pawl and cam member 17. Thispawl has a weighted end portion 18 bent inwardly to engage the top of lever 6 to limit the movement of such pawl, and a cam surface 19 adapted to cooperate with the cam 15 on bracket 7 The pawl normally lies in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, out of engagement with the bracket 7 and is adapted to be brought into such engagement by gravity, i. e., when the doors are opened and the lever 6 is in a: substantially vertical position, the weighted end 18 will rotate the pawl about pin 16 to bring the cam 19 thereof into engagement with the edge 14-01? the bracket. In the closing movement of the doors the cam 19 will merely slide or roll along the cam surface 15 without interfering with such closing, but it an attempt is made, after the lever 6 has been partly lowered, to again open the doors, the cam 19 oi the pawl will be rolled against the eccentric cam 15 of the bracke' and prevent upward movement of lever 6. Pawl- 17, is provided with a lug 21 which engages lug 20 to restore the pawl to inoperative position during the very lastv of the closing movement of the doors.

On account of the instability resulting from the length of levers 6 and 8, this invention provides means for holding such levers in rigidly. Said. means may consist of forming the bracket 7 with a bifurcated portion of considerable length between the sides 22 and 23 of which the lever 6 is movable, but is held from any sidewise move ment.

The present operating mechanism does not in any way affect the normal operation of the doors and it adds but few parts to the ordinary operating mechanism. It. will be evident, however, that the actionot the cam. surface on the bracket and the pawl effectively prevent the reopening of the doors before they have been brought to their closed position.

Gther modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means'statcd by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention 1. In combination with an elevator enclosure, a door, a lever for actuating-said closure, a door, a lever for actuating i door, and a bracket pivotally connecting said lever to said enclosure, of means incanted on said bracket cooperating with meansmounted on said lever to prevent the reopening oi said door prior to the compl t closing thereof, said last named means I ing rendered inoperative upon said final closing of the door.

2. In combination with an elevator enclosure, a door,.a bracket mounted on said enclosure, and a lever -tor actuati said door pivotally mounted in said brat-net. of a cam surface provided on said bracket. said cam surface being eccentric with the pivotal pointof said lever, and of a cam pawl mounted. on said lever, said pawl and cam surface cooperating upon the opening of the door to prevent the reopening thereof priorv to its complete closing.

3. In combination with an elevator door, and a bracket pivotally connecii said lever to said enclosure, of means mount edon said bracket co-operating with me mounted on said lever to prevent the reopcningof said'door prior to the complete closing thereof, said: last named means be ing engaged with said first means upon the initial opening. of the door of more than halt way and said last means being rendered inoperative upon said final closing of the door.

4. In combination with an elevator on closure, a door, a lever for actuating 'd door, and a bracket pivotally connect said lever to said enclosure, of a cam 31.:tace on said bracket, a cam pawl on the le or adapted to co-operate with said am, sin are to prevent the re-opening of said door prior to the complete closing thereohend means on said bracket adapted to engage said paul and restore it to inoperative position upon said iinal closing of the door.

Signed by us this 8th day of June, 192

THOMAS E. GRIFFI ill. LEE I1. DODDS. 

